Having mastered the ability to “wake up” in a dream, the biggest problem lucid dreamers face is premature waking. Here are some tips on how to stay fast asleep and lucid.
Learning how to become lucid in a dream takes patience and determination. Some people get lucky and experience spontaneous lucid dreams from time to time through pure chance.
Others must practice induction techniques for weeks or months before reaching their goal. Whatever the case, when a lucid dream does occur, it is worth making the experience last for as long as possible.
What Are Lucid Dreams?
In lucid dreams, anything can happen. The senses become heightened in lucid dreams, making the experience as rich as real life – if not more so. The laws of physics are suspended as dreamers take to the skies, travel anywhere in the universe and fulfill their wildest dreams. Literally.
Lucid dreams begin when a person wakes up within a dream. This means becoming consciously aware of the fact that it is a dream. Instead of physically waking up, their mental awareness is stirred and the mind begins an inner journey in the vast landscape of the dream world.
It is an exciting proposition to many, which is why people work so hard on techniques for attaining lucidity each night while they sleep.
How to Prolong a Lucid Dream
There are a number of signs that a lucid dream is about to end (either the dreamer is going to wake up in reality, or the level of lucidity will be lost and a normal dream state will return).
The senses will fade away; starting with vision and finishing with touch. This can happen in a matter of seconds, so the dreamer must act fast to recapture the state of lucidity.
Experts agree that tuning in to touch and physical sensations are therefore the best ways to remain in lucid dreams.
In his doctoral dissertation on lucid dreaming, lucidity guru Stephen LaBerge discovered that spinning was highly effective in 97% of cases. It also frequently resulted in new dream scenes emerging.
By spinning around or falling backwards in lucid dreams, LaBerge reasoned that the sensation of movement was what drew a focus to the conscious mind and prevented premature awakening.
A similar technique involves rubbing the hands together rapidly, in an attempt to create friction and stimulate physical sensation. This is aimed at directing attention away from the sleeping body, which is lying motionless and relaxed in bed.
At the same time, it is recommended to repeat phrases like “I am dreaming”, “this is a lucid dream”, or “the next scene will be a dream”.
By extending the period of lucidity, dreamers have the world at their fingertips. And it is the most realistic world at that. They can soar like an eagle, run like a cheetah, create music, write poetry, meet famous people, visit far away places – anything is possible, all through the power of the mind.
